Help: What IS a Mudcat?

Subject: Help: What IS a Mudcat?
From: Billy the Bus
Date: 25 Apr 00 - 04:12 AM

G'day,

NO apologies - it's still Anzac Day, and I can't be buggered searchin' the archives for the answer to this question, which I'm sure is there. The "Dover Books" thread (can't be buggered building a blue clicky) got me sidetracked onto my marine zoology days, of 40 years back and Mudcat.

Since I've been wasting my precious time gettin' a "fix" at this damned Café I've had a mental picture of a "Mudcat" as a "Catfish" (not a Catspaw - he ain't got wiskas), with a bit of "Mudcat Blues" (the yarns in some threads [or v/v] are decidedly blue).

Am I correct or completely off-line? Actually, I've never seen a Catfish, but I understand they are one of the earlier evolved freshwater fishes of the USA. I'll try to paint a word picture of how I see a "Mudcat"..

___________________________________

An archaeic, fishy, folk (irrespective of age), who lurk in the murk of the river of life, rooting for the truth that lies among the roots of the tree of life. They quest their way seaward - mumbling through the mud for sustenance - injesting a morsel from the fargone days, but (maybe) more shit that has been thrown in the river in recent times (most seem to regurgitate that).

Like catfish, most males, are bewhiskered, to sense their way thru' the mire of life - or is it to tickle the ladies fancy? [with much difficulty I'm resisting the urge to go onto a "fanny" funny]

The females (of the opposite sex) seem to me to be, like a catfish, sleek and smooth (Oh dear, I hope Catfish ain't slimy).....;)

My only fear, in my mental image, is that Catfish lack scales. Oh well, as "Blind ????" said "I never did learn to read the fly spots enuff to HURT ma playin'".

________________________________

All BS aside, this is actually a serious question.

What IS a "Mudcat"? Am I correct in assuming a type of "Catfish"? I'd give caviar to know.....

And, as we all know "Caviar comes from the virgin sturgeon". And furthermore if I continue this fishy flight of fantasy, I'll be verging on the ridiculous...

Whewww....

Think I'm relaxed enough to go back, abbreviate, and Post my Last Post for Anzac Day.

Geez Wayne, I'm asking "What IS a Mudcat" - not a 'Catter - definition there is simple HEART.

Love - Sam

Subject: RE: Help: What IS a Mudcat?
From: The Shambles
Date: 25 Apr 00 - 06:18 AM

Sorry mate. Can't be 'buggered' to answer.

Subject: RE: Help: What IS a Mudcat?
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 25 Apr 00 - 07:53 AM

That's right Sammy, Mudcat is Heart and Sole

Little Neo

Subject: RE: Help: What IS a Mudcat?
From: Gary T
Date: 25 Apr 00 - 09:38 AM

Yes, Sam, a mudcat is a type of catfish. It's more of a colloquial term than an official one (like, say, channel cat) and probably won't be found in an encyclopedia.

The lack of scales on catfish is interesting. A traditional way to skin them is to nail the fish to a tree or board by the head, slit the skin at the neck, and peel it off the body, much as one might peel off a stocking. Looks wierd, but works beautifully.

Catfish (at least some types), cooked properly (usually lightly breaded and fried), are delicious. Some people look down on them as food, calling them "bottom feeders", but here in the Midwest (Missouri, Arkansas, etc.) they are well loved.

Subject: RE: Help: What IS a Mudcat?
From: MMario
Date: 25 Apr 00 - 09:57 AM

heck, if I recall correctly, flounder, sole and a lot of the other hoity-toity flatfish are all bottem feeders as well

Subject: RE: Help: What IS a Mudcat?
From: The Shambles
Date: 25 Apr 00 - 02:35 PM

I do like 'hoity-toity flatfish'. Piscatorial snobbery already.

Do you mean like Lemon and Dover sole?

I know my plaice.

Subject: RE: Help: What IS a Mudcat?
From: Irish sergeant
Date: 25 Apr 00 - 07:36 PM

I always figured most fish were bottom feeders except maybe shark and barracuda. Up here (Syracuse, NY) Catfish and bullhead are pretty good eating. The best time to catch them is in the spring before the water gets too warm or they get kind of mushy. Lemon and old Bay spice. Neil

Subject: RE: Help: What IS a Mudcat?
From: Caitrin
Date: 25 Apr 00 - 07:44 PM

There are people who look down on catfish as food? I never knew. That's almost as weird as the places that only have iced tea in the summer. Out here in NC (Home of the Carolina Mudcats baseball team) we love fried catfish!

Subject: RE: Help: What IS a Mudcat?
From: Mbo
Date: 25 Apr 00 - 07:50 PM

And WHAT is wrong with iced tea, may I ask?! BTW The K-Tribe is MUCH better than the Mudcats!

--Mbo (who DOES like catfish!)

Subject: RE: Help: What IS a Mudcat?
From: Gary T
Date: 25 Apr 00 - 09:34 PM

What she's saying, Mbo is that only in the summer (instead of year 'round) do some places have iced tea, not that they have only iced tea to drink. I had to read it twice, but if it were spoken, the inflection would have made it clear.

Subject: RE: Help: What IS a Mudcat?
From: Mbo
Date: 25 Apr 00 - 09:39 PM

Oh, then that is a rip! ICE TEA FOREVER!!! Hmm...I think I need to write a song about it...

--Mbo

Subject: RE: Help: What IS a Mudcat?
From: Caitrin
Date: 25 Apr 00 - 09:40 PM

Oops. Sorry 'bout that. I hate sloppy syntax, and now I'm falling into it myself. Yes, Gary's right. That's what I was attempting to say.
And Mbo, you know nothing of real iced tea, you heathen Crystal Light drinker!

Subject: RE: Help: What IS a Mudcat?
From: Mbo
Date: 25 Apr 00 - 09:44 PM

Hey, I've had the real stuff! A million tea bags in a pot, boil it in a pot for 3 hours...drink it with some ice...some Sweet 10, squeeze some lemon in there...uh-huh! Unfortunetly, I don't have the time to do that everytime I need my Iced Tea fix, which is every several minutes. Besides, when you're like me, you need as much sugar as possible!

--Mbo

Subject: RE: Help: What IS a Mudcat?
From: GUEST,7 of 9
Date: 25 Apr 00 - 09:50 PM

...and perhaps 5 years of stasis?...

Subject: RE: Help: What IS a Mudcat?
From: rangeroger
Date: 25 Apr 00 - 09:56 PM

Sam, there is a thread where I asked if Mudcat and Bullhead were synonomous, which contained some very informative answers.I'm not able to do a blue-clicky thing yet, but I'm sure someone out there could do one.
Even Praise's "Only in the Rant Threads" answer was right on the money!
rr

Subject: RE: Help: What IS a Mudcat?
From: Hagbardr
Date: 25 Apr 00 - 10:06 PM

Q. What's the difference between a mudcat and a lawyer?

A. One's a scum-sucking bottom feeder and the other is a fish.

My favorite catfish recipe:

Mix in a flat dish: Handful of Paprika Big Handful of Garlic Powder Handful of Coarse Ground Black Pepper Small Handful of Sea Salt

Generously coat thin fillets in spice mixture and fry in butter until blackened.

Yum!

Hagbard

Subject: RE: Help: What IS a Mudcat?
From: uncle bill
Date: 25 Apr 00 - 10:17 PM

what the heck is ANZAC DAY? ,, MATE?

Subject: RE: Help: What IS a Mudcat?
From: Billy the Bus
Date: 25 Apr 00 - 10:29 PM

Thanks, for your prompt reply, Gary. Pleased my assumptions were correct. Now, with the serious question answered we can have some fishy BS

Gary, we use exactly the same technique for peeling the skin from "eels", but not "soles" (just fry'm with skin on). It's shockin' where your stockin' analogy led me..

Whoops, must off on tour - I'll be stockin' up on fihsy funnies, inspired by other comments...;)

CYA - Sam

Subject: RE: Help: What IS a Mudcat?
From: Art Thieme
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 11:06 AM

A Mudcat is anyone who makes the effort and takes the time to s-w-e-e-p the scum of the present off the top of the pond in order to look down through the depths of history to the dwelling place of other mudcats where the true gems of traditional musical antiquity can be found (if you'll only look).

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Help: What IS a Mudcat?
From: Gary T
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 12:08 PM

Faswilli2, I'll let Sam or someone else knowledgeable clarify and expand on the answer to your question, but I'll get you started. ANZAC (for Australia-New Zealand Auxiliary Corps, I believe) Day commemorates the day that said military unit landed at Suvla Bay in Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I. The goal was to gain control of the Dardanelles. The Turks, under the leadership of a competent German artillery officer, hammered them pretty badly, and the campaign was not successful. Winston Churchill, who was then British Assistant Secretary of the Navy, championed the plan, and came close to having his career scuttled. I understand that in Australia, and probably New Zealand, it's a national holiday similar to the U.S.'s Veteran's Day, honoring the soldiers who fought gallantly in a doomed mission.

The song "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" and the film "Gallipoli" (with Mel Gibson) tell some of this story.

I am ready to stand corrected if I made some errors above, but I think that will at least give you the gist of it.